bike rack blunder

[TURBS]

OK so I am driving down interstate 80 yesterday on my way to pick up my 5er at the rv dealer that I had dropped off for warranty work and wouldn't you know it I see this.

Now I know this may seem normal but its to bad I wasn't able to video tape this.
These bikes were violently bouncing up and down as was the spare tire.
If this guy would have been were I took this pic he most likely would have tried to pull me over and tell me something was wrong with my hitch .
I cannot believe the bumper is still attached .
it may not be by now .

[trudinator]

Fleetwood must not have such a great forum with tons and tons of warnings advising you not to hang bikes from your bumper/spare tire/ladder, etc. I've seen it as well, and I always wish I could catch up with people and let them know they're in for a world of hurt.

[TURBS]

Some people just really don't know whats going on back there.

[KyDan]

We were at a CG once when a guy pulled in to park and setup.
As he walked around his trailer he noticed his bike-rack and new
bikes were gone. He was cussing and fussing and wondering
if he should backtrack and try to find them.

I don't know what he did but I'm sure glad I wasn't behind him when
they let go!!!

I also have seen trailers with bikes on the back that were bouncing
so violently that I just sped up and got away from them as soon as possible.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by KyDan

We were at a CG once when a guy pulled in to park and setup.
As he walked around his trailer he noticed his bike-rack and new
bikes were gone. He was cussing and fussing and wondering
if he should backtrack and try to find them.

I don't know what he did but I'm sure glad I wasn't behind him when
they let go!!!

I also have seen trailers with bikes on the back that were bouncing
so violently that I just sped up and got away from them as soon as possible.

Dan That was my thoughts while taking a pic! Pic and RUN!
if I would have ha someone with me I surely would have taken video of this to show what goes on behind you camper!
Years ago when I got proof I wasn't so lucky cause I had bike handle holes all over the back of my camper! NEVER AGAIN! I exclaimed to my dw.

[Herk7769]

I should STICK this thread but I am not sure which forum to stick it in.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I should STICK this thread but I am not sure which forum to stick it in.

Faq section?

See how the bikes are in a disarray?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Faq section?

See how the bikes are in a disarray?

If it HAD been a video it would have been there. That would have been of interest to everyone. Maybe if we can post a request for members to "SAFELY" video other camper's bike racks and their movements or lack of movement.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by herk7769

If it HAD been a video it would have been there. That would have been of interest to everyone. Maybe if we can post a request for members to "SAFELY" video other camper's bike racks and their movements or lack of movement.

Safety-first I always say!
That's why there's no video! Pic was risky enough.

[Rugged Brown]

I see 2 major infractions against safety here. I agree that the bikes precariously attached to a bumper with impending catastrophic doom, but I also notice that a driver of the trailing vehicle is distracted by taking photographs. In my Province we have a law against using devices such as cell phones, and other electronic devices while driving, for very good reason. As a Diagnostic Imaging health care worker, I have seen the consequences of inattentive drivers end up with mangled bodies and even death. As a camper, I learned the hard way about attached bikes to the rear bumper. In fact, Herk will show photographs of the damage done to my bumper, btw, just with the weight of a spare tire. I will concede that the bikes may have started the initial breakdown of the welds, but it was the spare tire alone that finally finished it off.
I guess my message is that 2 wrongs don't make a right. Maybe, the photographer should have pulled ahead and flagged the camper down. The camper may have been eternally grateful. I'm pretty sure, I would be.

[comfun1]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

OK so I am driving down interstate 80 yesterday on my way to pick up my 5er at the rv dealer that I had dropped off for warranty work and wouldn't you know it I see this. Attachment 13157

Now I know this may seem normal but its to bad I wasn't able to video tape this.
These bikes were violently bouncing up and down as was the spare tire.
If this guy would have been were I took this pic he most likely would have tried to pull me over and tell me something was wrong with my hitch .
I cannot believe the bumper is still attached .
it may not be by now .

Just wondering if you tried to warn him. I've had a couple of flats and people have signaled me that something was wrong. Had it not been for them I could have had a serious accident. My thanks to all who signal others.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by comfun1

Just wondering if you tried to warn him. I've had a couple of flats and people have signaled me that something was wrong. Had it not been for them I could have had a serious accident. My thanks to all who signal others.

BIG ditto. I have waved down others (including a trucker who had a cargo door swinging in the breeze) and had other flag me down while driving down the road with my tailgate down (not hooked up to a camper but with the cover on the bed). I was VERY close to losing some luggage that one of my passengers put in but failed to close the tailgate properly.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Rugged Brown

I see 2 major infractions against safety here. I agree that the bikes precariously attached to a bumper with impending catastrophic doom, but I also notice that a driver of the trailing vehicle is distracted by taking photographs. In my Province we have a law against using devices such as cell phones, and other electronic devices while driving, for very good reason. As a Diagnostic Imaging health care worker, I have seen the consequences of inattentive drivers end up with mangled bodies and even death. As a camper, I learned the hard way about attached bikes to the rear bumper. In fact, Herk will show photographs of the damage done to my bumper, btw, just with the weight of a spare tire. I will concede that the bikes may have started the initial breakdown of the welds, but it was the spare tire alone that finally finished it off.
I guess my message is that 2 wrongs don't make a right. Maybe, the photographer should have pulled ahead and flagged the camper down. The camper may have been eternally grateful. I'm pretty sure, I would be.

Yep I knew id get flamed for taking picture while driving.
in my defense I have android dash mounted and on while charging.
I have a "quick icon " on home screen that allows a one touch quick pic which is what I did.
It takes twice as much effort to change a radio station or reach down in your cup holder and grab your coffee both while taking your eyes off the road.
My eyes never left the road.
I'm pretty sure no one should judge my pic while driving.
even more so if you have done this while driving.
ate
reached to grab pop or coffee
makeup
adjusting gps
Adjusted radio
Looked at a map
Looked over or behind to talk to someone
Pick up a dropped item
adjusted heater controls
etc etc etc

[TURBS]

Oh and by the way when you look over and try to flag down the guy 4 times to get his attention your just as distracted as me looking ahead taking a pic.
Flagging him down is worse imo now you have 2 drivers side by side going 65 mph looking at each other trying to explain somethings amidst behind.

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Yep I knew id get flamed for taking picture while driving.
in my defense I have android dash mounted and on while charging.
I have a "quick icon " on home screen that allows a one touch quick pic which is what I did.
It takes twice as much effort to change a radio station or reach down in your cup holder and grab your coffee both while taking your eyes off the road.
My eyes never left the road.
I'm pretty sure no one should judge my pic while driving.
even more so if you have done this while driving.
ate
reached to grab pop or coffee
makeup
adjusting gps
Adjusted radio
Looked at a map
Looked over or behind to talk to someone
Pick up a dropped item
adjusted heater controls
etc etc etc

I agree with everything you are saying. I have done many of those things myself and with all the technology in vehicles today, there is more than one distraction. My point , I guess, was that I see the aftermath of things gone wrong and I try to encourage safety, even though I live on the edge sometimes myself. It just plays on the soul after 30 years of seeing the results of avoidable accidents. If I can play some small role in alerting someone to averting these tradegies, I usually do. I even tell unsuspecting brethren that their fly is down. . I am glad that you posted that picture, because it may show some FR Forum member that this is a no no. No hard feelings man, keep trucking and enjoy life, arrive alive.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Rugged Brown

I agree with everything you are saying. I have done many of those things myself and with all the technology in vehicles today, there is more than one distraction. My point , I guess, was that I see the aftermath of things gone wrong and I try to encourage safety, even though I live on the edge sometimes myself. It just plays on the soul after 30 years of seeing the results of avoidable accidents. If I can play some small role in alerting someone to averting these tradegies, I usually do. I even tell unsuspecting brethren that their fly is down. . I am glad that you posted that picture, because it may show some FR Forum member that this is a no no. No hard feelings man, keep trucking and enjoy life, arrive alive.

Dittos on all accounts my friend!


By the way when I did pass him I did point towards the back of his trailer then pulled around him and exited. If he pulled over or not I'm unclear.
I'm sure he gets plenty of people telling him the same.
He probably pulls over and sees nothing blatantly wrong and drives on!

Btw I will take the lashings of a willow branch please!

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Dittos on all accounts my friend!


By the way when I did pass him I did point towards the back of his trailer then pulled around him and exited. If he pulled over or not I'm unclear.

Let's hope !!

[fonzie]

Here is a link to you tube, hope his rear bumper is made for this.

RVing with Mount-n-Lock - YouTube

[lindy]

I've had a bike rack attached to the rear bumper of a camper before. One thing I did that I can't remember being mentioned here yet is that I knew the bikes would wobble/bounce all around so I used 2 light weight ratchet tie down straps and secured both front and back of the bikes at an angle and tied down to the outer corners of the bumper. No bouncing/wobbleing of bikes = A lot less stress on the bumper. Properly secured items should not cause damage. I'm willing to place a bet that 99% of all bumper failures with bikes was because they're not properly secured and thus placing undo stress on the bumper that was not intended.

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by lindy

I've had a bike rack attached to the rear bumper of a camper before. One thing I did that I can't remember being mentioned here yet is that I knew the bikes would wobble/bounce all around so I used 2 light weight ratchet tie down straps and secured both front and back of the bikes at an angle and tied down to the outer corners of the bumper. No bouncing/wobbleing of bikes = A lot less stress on the bumper. Properly secured items should not cause damage. I'm willing to place a bet that 99% of all bumper failures with bikes was because they're not properly secured and thus placing undo stress on the bumper that was not intended.

Agree about securing the bikes to reduce wobble, because I have done that , but I guess I fall in the 1% category then.